McCarthy started her career at WGGB-TV in Springfield, Massachusetts. She then moved to WAFF, the NBC affiliate in Huntsville, Alabama. She was a sports anchor at WCAU in Philadelphia, where she won numerous Sports Emmy Awards.[5] McCarthy joined NESN in early 2010;[6] she was a part-time host and reporter for SportsDesk. After SportsDesk was canceled, she became the host of the network's new show NESN Daily.
McCarthy left NESN in August 2011 after her husband, Gordon Stead, got a job in Philadelphia.[7] McCarthy returned to TV in September 2012, joining ESPN as an anchor for SportsCenter.[8] On April 26, 2017, it was announced that ESPN was laying off around 100 on-air personalities, with McCarthy being one of the victims.[9]
McCarthy joined NBC Sports Boston in September 2018 as host of the Opening DriveNew England Patriots pregame show.[10][11] In 2022 she began doing a podcast for Sports Spectrum, a podcast network that tells "stories where sports and faith connect".[12]
Personal life
McCarthy is a Christian.[13] McCarthy and Stead had a son in October 2011.[14] They welcomed their second child, another boy, in August 2015.[15] Their third child, a daughter, was born in July 2017.[16]
^Finn, Chad. Boston.com, Why things are looking better for ‘Thursday Night Football’ this year, And other notes about the NFL's broadcast schedule, "NBC Sports Boston has added what could be called a pre-pregame show. Titled “Opening Drive,’’ it is hosted by Jade McCarthy, formerly of NESN and ESPN, and will feature Tom E. Curran, Phil Perry, and Albert Breer. “Opening Drive’’ will air at 10 a.m. on days when the Patriots play in the conventional 1 p.m. window and will serve as the lead-in to NBC Sports Boston’s regular pregame show." 6 September 2018 (accessed 11 November 2018).